Solar thermochemical reactor and methods of manufacture and use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a solar reactor comprising a reactor member; an aperture for receiving solar radiation, the aperture being disposed in a plane on a wall of the reactor member, where the plane is oriented at any angle other than parallel relative to the centerline of the reactor member; a plurality of absorber tubes, wherein the absorber tubes are oriented such that their respective centerlines are at an angle other than 90° relative to the centerline of the reactor member; and wherein the aperture has a hydraulic diameter that is from 0.2 to 4 times a hydraulic diameter of at least one absorber tube in the plurality of absorber tubes; and a reactive material, the reactive material being disposed in the plurality of absorber tubes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solar reactor comprising:
 a reactor member; 
 an aperture for receiving solar radiation, the aperture being disposed in a plane on a wall of the reactor member, where the plane is oriented at any angle other than parallel relative to the centerline of the reactor member; 
 a plurality of absorber tubes, wherein the absorber tubes are oriented such that their respective centerlines are at an angle other than 90° relative to the centerline of the reactor member; and wherein the aperture has a hydraulic diameter that is from 0.2 to 4 times a hydraulic diameter of at least one absorber tube in the plurality of absorber tubes; and 
 a reactive material, the reactive material being disposed in the plurality of absorber tubes, and the reactive material consists of a first mixture of first particles and second particles, wherein the first particle consists only of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) and the second particle consists only of magnesium oxide. 
 
     
     
       2. The solar reactor of  claim 1 , where the composite particle has an average particle size of about 200 to about 2000 micrometers. 
     
     
       3. The solar reactor of  claim 1 , where the first particle has an average particle size of about 20 to about 80 micrometers, and where the second particle has an average particle size of about 0.5 to about 10 micrometers prior to a sintering. 
     
     
       4. The solar reactor of  claim 1 , where a weight ratio of the first particle to the second particle is about 1:4 to about 1:6. 
     
     
       5. The solar reactor of  claim 1 , where the composite particle has a surface area of greater than or equal to about 100 square meter per gram. 
     
     
       6. A solar reactor comprising:
 a reactor member; 
 an aperture for receiving solar radiation, the aperture being disposed in a plane on a wall of the reactor member, where the plane is oriented at any angle other than parallel relative to the centerline of the reactor member; 
 a plurality of absorber tubes, wherein the absorber tubes are oriented such that their respective centerlines are at an angle other than 90° relative to the centerline of the reactor member; and wherein the aperture has a hydraulic diameter that is from 0.2 to 4 times a hydraulic diameter of at least one absorber tube in the plurality of absorber tubes; and 
 a reactive material, the reactive material being disposed in the plurality of absorber tubes, and the reactive material consists of a first mixture of first particles and second particles, wherein the first particle consists only of manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) and the second particle consists only of magnesium oxide. 
 
     
     
       7. The solar reactor of  claim 6 , where the composite particle has an average particle size of about 200 to about 2000 micrometers. 
     
     
       8. The solar reactor of  claim 6 , where the first particle has an average particle size of about 20 to about 80 micrometers, and where the second particle has an average particle size of about 0.5 to about 10 micrometers prior to a sintering. 
     
     
       9. The solar reactor of  claim 6 , where a weight ratio of the first particle to the second particle is about 1:4 to about 1:6. 
     
     
       10. The solar reactor of  claim 6 , where the composite particle has a surface area of greater than or equal to about 100 square meter per gram.